


we crave a different kinda buzz

by humphreydumpty



Category: Ever After High
Genre: Alcohol, Drugs, Eating Disorders, Multi, big triggers there so, couples added later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-26
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-17 01:41:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1369258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humphreydumpty/pseuds/humphreydumpty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Briar fills her life with diets and partying. What she doesn't realize is that she is a downward spiral. /Life's great without a care, we ain't caught up in your love affair./ Trigger Warning for Eating Disorder.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. up, up, up, and away

Briar can immediately feel the rush hit her, her heartbeat accelerating at an incredible rate. Everything feels fuzzy, but the good kind that Briar likes. The kind that gives her this amazing sensation that nothing matters, that calories or looking good or school don't matter anymore. It is amazing how a tiny blue pill can make people feel so careless, so free.

Briar continues to dance to the beat of the catchy party song playing in the background, her hips swaying with the rhythm of the music. If her mother knew she was here, in an underground club at a party where she knew no one, she would be grounded for her whole life. Luckily, Apple's parents were hosting a feast and Briar quickly lied, saying that she was sick so they could let her stay "home". She loved her best friend Apple, but she was not going to miss this party. It was her only free weekend for a while, and she was not going to waste it in a boring feast. The Apple’s had feasts like in every special occasion, and for Briar it was a little bit worrying. Those people were too in love with feasts; Briar could swear they even invented special occasions for an excuse to host one. Who celebrated “National Day of Magic Jellybeans.”, anyway? 

Briar kept dancing with a random stranger, sweat rolling off her body. For one night she could forget about everything. If she was going to sleep for a very long time she might live everything she can while still awake. “You are so beautiful.” The stranger whispered in her neck, sending shivers down Briar’s spine. She closed her eyes as the stranger proceeded to kiss her neck slowly.   
“If you leave a mark, I will kill you.” Briar said jokingly, and the stranger laughed.   
“How am I going to show the other boys here that you are my girl?”  
“Well, you aren’t.” Briar moved her neck, leaving the stranger hanging. She smiled sweetly, and walked away. She couldn’t stand assholes that thought they owned girls.   
The night went on like this until three of the morning; Briar kept flirting and dancing with strangers, blurs in the night covered with sweat and alcohol. She made out with a few guys and would leave them hanging when they wanted to get more intimate. She wasn’t ready for that yet. 

Briar took a taxi cab back home, giving the driver an overly generous payment. She quickly climbed out of the car, only to find the door of her house locked. God, these things only happen to me. Briar thought, groaning at her situation. Where was luck when she needed it? She had to find a solution quick or her parents were going to behead her. She quickly decided to crash one of her friend's room for the night, under the pretext that she wanted to have a sleepover or some lame excuse. Most of them were at the White's feast, so Briar had to find a friend that wasn't a royal. She could pick Blondie, but the girl wasn't really reliable. Blondie was her friend and anything, but could she be one hundred percent certain this situation wasn’t going to appear on the next MirrorCast? No. She then decided Cupid, who she started getting closer with after the awesome True Hearts Day party they planned. She took her phone out and dialed the number.

"Hello?" A groggy voice at the end of the other line asked, and Briar realized she probably woke Cupid up. Oh well. 

"Hi Cupid, it's Briar. I wouldn't wake you up if this wasn't very important."

"Briar, it's three in the morning, it better be worth it." An annoyed voice at the other end of the line said.

"Ok, sorry for waking you up but I need to crash into your house for the night please."

"Wait, why?"

"Can I come over or not?" Briar asked, getting a bit impatient.

"Ok, sure but Eros is asleep, so you kind of have to climb through the window. I'll text you the direction." Cupid said, a bit confused at Briar's antics. “You better explain this.”

"'Kay, I'll be there in five." Briar said before hastily hanging up.  
\------------------- 

"Ok, you have lots to explain Briar."

"Hello to you too, Cupid."

"Don't avoid the explanation. You show up at my house at three in the morning looking and smelling like trash and you expect me to be all chill." Cupid was worried about her friend's state, she looked like a mess. Her dress was to short, her tights were ripped and she smelt like stale alcohol.  
"Hey, calm down I was just at a harmless party. Nothing to fret about. I left my keys inside the house and got locked outside."  
A few moments of silence passed between the girls, Cupid at a loss of words. She knew Briar loved parties, but she had never seen her like this. But, she also knew that Briar was a strong girl that could handle herself. And if she said that everything was okay, Cupid believed her.

"Where can I put my stuff?" Briar asked, breaking Cupid's thoughts.

"There." Cupid quietly said, pointing to a corner in her open closet. Briar took off her tights and set the down with her shoes and glasses. "I can lend you some pajama pants if you want." Cupid added.

"No, it's okay." Briar smiled. "I wouldn't fit in your clothing anyways." She mumbled. Cupid heard her, but acted as if she didn't. Briar probably meant to say that to herself.

"You can sleep in my bed; there is enough space for both of us." Cupid patted down a spot next to her, and after tying her hair into a bun, Briar joined her.

When the brunette girl got closer, Cupid could really smell the alcohol in the air. She had never tasted alcohol before, and she was slightly curious to know the appeal. Her first big scale party had been the True Hearts Day one, and she wanted to really see why her classmates loved parties so much. Cupid turned around and saw that Briar was already asleep, so she turned off the lights.

\------------------- 

The next morning, Cupid woke up and found the bed empty. A note was resting in the spot her friend was occupying last night. What a cliché. Cupid thought as she started down at the note.

|thanks cupid! im sorry i couldn't stay for breakfast or something, but i had to dash. anyway im not fun when hungover so you saved yourself from my terrible headaches.|

Cupid chuckled slightly at the last part before throwing the note away, she didn't want her father to find it or something. She slightly panicked when she hear a knock on the door, she hadn’t clean her alcohol smelling sheets yet.  
“Dad, I’ll be down in a few minutes I’m getting changed!” Cupid lied, quickly hauling the sheets out of bed and into the bathroom.  
\------------------- 

A few roads away, Briar was nursing the most horrible hangover. She had the ability to disguise a hangover from her parents, but not to cure it. Her head was pounding, and her mouth tasted like a concoction of the things she consumed last night.

Briar, pull yourself together. The brunette girl looked at her reflection, and was surprised at how horrible she looked. Her hair was all frizzy, her breath smelled horrible and her mascara was all smeared on her face. What would people say if they saw her like this, the daughter of the sleeping beauty? Would they still think she is a fit ruler? That thought scared Briar. Not the people judging her, those meant nothing to her. But the ruling a kingdom one day. Was she going to be a good ruler? 

After thirty minutes of hair brushing, teeth washing and a good shower, Briar was ready to go down and eat breakfast with her family. She changed herself to a simple but pretty loose dress. Today she was going to go back to school, and she had to look nice. 

"How are you feeling sweetie?" Her mother asked as soon as she saw her.

"I'm feeling a bit better." Briar pulled on her best fake smile. "My head is still hurting." At least that's true.

"Sweetheart, do you want me to call your school and let them know that you are sick?"

"Mom, like I said I’m feeling better.”

"Okay sweetie, I’ll tell Charlie to bring you your breakfast.” 

As soon as the plates arrived, Briar stared down at her breakfast. Two strips of bacon (84), a serving of scrambled eggs (199) and a glass of orange juice (112). It was too much for the 150 calories Briar had planned to consume at breakfast.

Briar ate slowly, so her mother wouldn't suspect anything. Each bite was smaller and smaller, and slowly she finished half of her eggs. (59) She took one sip of her orange juice (19) and took only one bacon. (42). 

Briar was very satisfied when she ate only 120 calories. Her mother hadn't suspected a thing, so everything was good. She cut the remaining bacon into small pieces and scattered them around the plate, making it look like she ate more than she actually did. It was a technique she had learned when she was little. Only then it was to actually get away with leaving peas and other icky stuff, and today she was using it to hide her diet. 

"Miss Briar, your carriage is here." The Beauty's family butler announced. Briar had almost forgotten that today she was returning to school after a free weekend. She was kind of glad to be out of home, at school no one could tell her what to eat or how much to eat.

Briar almost felt free in Ever After High, free to diet, free to party every time she escaped school and free to take her own decisions.

Ever After High felt more like home than ever.


	2. Chapter 2

“Briar!” Apple White exclaimed with a huge smile on her face. “I didn’t know you were going to come today. I thought you were sick.”  
“Oh, I feel so much better Apple.” Briar didn’t lie, she was feeling better. She slept throughout the whole way home, and her headache was almost gone. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t attend your feast tough.”   
“It’s okay, health always comes first. I’m so glad you are feeling better now.” Apple looked at her friend reassuringly. “I’m going to go up and unpack. I’ll see you at lunch.”  
“’Kay, Apple, see ya girlie.” Briar took her bags and started walking up to the room she shared with Ashlynn. Ashlynn was one of her BFA’s, but ever since the True Hearts Day party she was acting very weird around her and especially Apple. Briar and Apple both stated that they were going to support her no matter what, but Ash was still avoiding them.   
When she arrived to the dorm, Ashlynn was not there. Probably with Hunter. Briar thought. She settled her bags on top of her bed, but decided to leave them there. She was going to unpack later, when she had the motivation to.   
Briar sat down next to her bag. The first thing she did was obviously take her MirrorPhone out and post a new status on MyChapter. ‘im back, hi lovelies!” She typed out and started scrolling down her friend’s updates. Everyone was posting updates such as ‘happy to be back at eah!’ or ‘I haven’t finished my homework! Oh No.’ Briar scrolled down mindlessly.  
Fifteen minutes or so passed until Briar heard a knock on the door. She stood up from her spot and opened it.   
“Oh, hi Briar it’s me Cupid.” The pink haired girl said before coming in.   
“Hey Cupid, what’s up.”   
“I kinda want to ask you something.” Cupid said hesitantly.   
“Ok… ask away.” Briar knew this was going to turn into sermon time. Cupid did seem worried about her last night when she barged in into her house at like three am.   
“Well, Briar… you know the other night.” Cupid bit her lip before sitting next to Briar. She stared at the brunette girl for a long time, not really knowing how to continue.  
“Cupid, you can ask me whatever you want, I don’t really mind.”   
“You know how you arrived at my house, right?” Cupid stated. “Well, you arrived from a party, and…”  
“Oh My Godmother, this is going to turn into sermon time.” Briar grumbled.   
“No, nothing like that.” Cupid stared at Briar, wide eyed. “It actually made me wonder how going to party felt like.” Cupid’s face turned pink, she is probably the only girl her age that has never attended a non-school party.   
“Wait, what?”  
“Yes, I have never been to that sort of party. I want to know what it is like.” Cupid sighed. “And you know, getting drunk and stuff.”   
Briar couldn’t help but laugh, the whole situation was too funny.   
“You know what, forget it.” The pink haired girl stood up from the bed, and started making her way to the door.   
“Cupid! I was just laughing at how shy you are being.” Briar stated. “But, if you really want to, this weekend we can go to a party.”   
“Thank you, I know it sounds stupid but I kind of want to really experience being a teen.”   
“It’s okay girlie.” Briar smiled at Cupid. She was glad Cupid and her were becoming closer, she felt as if her other friends were ignoring her a little with all the stuff that was going on. Ashlynn didn’t want to hang out with her anymore, mainly because she was still unsure where here loyalties laid. Apple was too busy with the ‘stopping Raven’ thing. Cupid and Blondie were the only friends that actually had time to do things, and lately Blondie had been emerged in her MirrorCast.   
“Okay then, this weekend.” ________________________________________  
It was time for lunch and Briar sat down with the Royals. She set her tray next to Apple’s. When she saw Cupid walking down to join the Rebels, Briar patted an open spot next to her to get the pink haired girl to come.  
Cupid was a little unsure at first, but she wanted to sit next to Briar. Dexter was going to seat with the Royals too, as always, and her stomach did a somersault when she realized that she was going to sit with the brown haired boy.   
“So, how did the weekend treat everybody?” Daring Charming asked with his signature smile.  
“It was a little bit of relaxation, with a little bit of fun. I was just-“Blondie started.  
“Right.” Everyone finished for her.  
“Do I really use that phrase that much?” Blondie asked, slightly concerned.   
“We were just kidding Blondie.” Apple laughed.   
“Wait, where’s Ashlynn?” Blondie asked.  
“I think she is sitting with Hunter.” Briar said.   
“But, she knows that we will always love her, no matter what!” Apple looked very sad; her friendship with Ashlynn was so precious to her.  
“I think we should give her some time to adjust to you know, being torn between her friends and her boyfriend.”   
“Yeah, you are right Briar.” Apple hugged her. The brunette girl was very smart in Apple’s eyes. She was always giving the best advice and was sooo good at school, despite being a tad bit crazy. Not as crazy as Maddie, tough. The Mad Hatter’s act was hard to beat, as Apple had never seen someone so blissfully happy and well… mad.   
Briar glanced around the table and saw everyone was almost finished with their food. She hadn’t even started eating yet. She stared down at her tray and sighed. She got a salad (125) and a sandwich (400), but she was planning to eat the salad on only half of the sandwich. 345 calories total. Not that bad for lunch. If she continued this diet as good as she was, she was going to lose those five pounds in no time. She slowly started taking a small bite of out her sandwich, drinking a sip of water between each bite.   
Next to her Cupid noticed how Briar’s lunch was almost intact, and was about to ask her about it until she saw the boy that sat next to her.   
“Hey, Cupid how is everything going?” Dexter asked.   
“Oh, hi Dex.” Cupid blushed. “Everything is okay. My weekend was a bit boring.”  
“Mine was boring too.” He laughed. “Don’t tell Apple this, but her feast was very tedious.” He whispered.   
“A feast doesn’t really sound exciting, I have just attended the ones that are hosted in my house, but they aren’t anything unusual.”   
“At least you don’t have to attend one every week or so.”   
“That is the good side of not being a Royal.”   
“Yeah, sometimes I wish I could just stop being a prince for a while.” Dexter mused. “Not because I don’t like it or anything, but because sometimes it’s very dreary, like going to a hundred different evens and acting a certain way and stuff.”   
“Yeah, I can imagine.”   
“Wait, why are you sitting here?” Dexter asked and then realized how rude he probably sounded. “Not that I don’t want you here! But it’s just weird seeing you eat with the Royals.”  
Cupid laughed at the boy’s antics. “Briar asked me to.”  
“Oh, I didn’t know you two were friends.”   
“I guess we got closer after the True Heart’s Day party.” Cupid said. Dexter looked a bit sad after the mention of the party, he had missed on his big chance to tell Raven about his true feelings. The prince was still not over Raven, and Cupid was sure he wasn’t going to get over her any time soon.  
The bell ringed loudly, interrupting all conversations going around the table.   
“I have to keep unpacking! I’ll talk to you later guys.” Blondie exclaimed as she excused herself from the table. Both Daring and Dexter left under the same excuse. They had arrived just in time for lunch but still had to organize their stuff. Slowly everyone left the Castleteria, some going to the library, other to their dorms and some just going to catch up with their friends. Briar left without saying anything, half of her lunch still on the tray.  
________________________________________  
As soon as she entered her dorm, the first thing Briar saw was Ashlynn and Hunter. Making out. Ashlynn’s fingers where tangled in Hunter’s hair, and his hands were resting on her shoulders. Oh my Godmother, why. Briar thought as she saw that the couple continued, not really noticing her. It was when Ashlynn started to push her hands inside Hunter’s shirt that she knew she had to stop this. The brunette girl cleared her throat, and the pair quickly jumped apart. Ashlynn’s face turned red quickly, and Hunter couldn’t look at Briar in the eye, instead his stare was fixed in the ground.   
“I would toteees let you guys continue your super hot make out session, but I’m kinda tired.” Briar said nonchalantly and flopped on her bed. Ashlynn was still scarlet red, her hands resting awkwardly on her lap.   
“I think I’m going to leave.” Hunter said uncomfortably, still not looking at the brunette girl. “I’ll meet you later Ash.” He said before leaving swiftly. Briar laughed at the distress in Hunter’s voice, the boy did worry too much.   
“I’m so sorry you had to see that, Briar.” Ashlynn said politely with her usual calm voice. Her cheeks were still slightly tinted, and her dress was ruffled.  
“Don’t worry Ash, it’s okay.” Briar said. “Like, if I wasn’t so tired I would slip out and let you guys continue whatever you were doing there.”   
After a few minutes of awkward silence passed, Ashlynn not really knowing how to answer or to continue conversation, decided to change the topic. “I didn’t see you at Apple’s feast.”  
“I didn’t go because I was feeling a bit sick and my mom made me stay home.” Briar had said the same lie so many times that it came out with ease.   
“It was the usual White feast, so you didn’t miss anything.”  
“Let me guess, super big golden chandleries, really elaborate desserts and lots of ribbons.” Briar guessed and Ash nodded with a smile. “What were they celebrating now?”  
“I’m not really sure, I think it was Ugly Duckling day or something. Or was it Magic Flower day?” Both girls laughed, the White’s always looked for an excuse to have an elaborate feast. Briar felt good laughing with Ash again, seeing that after the True Heart’s Day party, Ashlynn declared herself as a rebel and was a bit unsure as to where her friendship with the Royals were. But now, Briar hoped she knew that she could always count with her no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i actually wrote this chapter like a month and a half ago! sorry for not publishing it here.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok sooooo the first chapter is here. It is very short and rushed but It is kinda the prologue! So we get a pinch of what Briar’s life is currently like. (Poor bby she is going to go through a lot!) I plan to update as soon as I can, but I need to know if you guys are liking the story. I hope you are because I put a lot of research and thought into this. Also, I am not in favor of any EDs or anything, and people who might we triggered do not keep on reading. Also I don’t own Lorde’s song Royals, Ever After High or any other thing that is mentioned/going to be mentioned in the story.


End file.
